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What a complete waste of money... But I'm wondering, what is the best alternative to something like this?

Artificial Reef's seem pretty cool, but that doesn't seem like it is going to catch on anytime soon. Reef for fishies, surfers, and scuba divers? Win, win, win.

What about building more massive jetties like the one at Newport Beach? Would that do anything to protect the coast? How about massive sea walls? There just has to be a better alternative to pumping sand on the beach that will get washed back into the ocean next big storm. It just seems like a vicious cycle that will cost us legitimately BILLIONS of dollars. They just dredged my beaches probably three years ago maybe four, and they're already loading up to do it again. Why not just have hoses constantly spraying new sand on the beach at all times?

In the end, it is our own fault for building on barrier islands, but at this point, what would be a better alternative to dredging? Should we just let nature run its course? Let the sea take our beach communities down dave jones locker?

i used to surf a jetty in ventura, ca that was never crowed and always fantastic. a left barrel off the jetty. about 10 years ago the army corps of engineers remade the jetty and it was never that same after that. it is possible that the spot has returned back to normal but i havn't checked it in 8 years.

What a complete waste of money... But I'm wondering, what is the best alternative to something like this?

Artificial Reef's seem pretty cool, but that doesn't seem like it is going to catch on anytime soon. Reef for fishies, surfers, and scuba divers? Win, win, win.

What about building more massive jetties like the one at Newport Beach? Would that do anything to protect the coast? How about massive sea walls? There just has to be a better alternative to pumping sand on the beach that will get washed back into the ocean next big storm. It just seems like a vicious cycle that will cost us legitimately BILLIONS of dollars. They just dredged my beaches probably three years ago maybe four, and they're already loading up to do it again. Why not just have hoses constantly spraying new sand on the beach at all times?

In the end, it is our own fault for building on barrier islands, but at this point, what would be a better alternative to dredging? Should we just let nature run its course? Let the sea take our beach communities down dave jones locker?

I own the world's largest sand supply company so I'd appreciate it if you kept your ideas to yourself.

What a complete waste of money... But I'm wondering, what is the best alternative to something like this?

Artificial Reef's seem pretty cool, but that doesn't seem like it is going to catch on anytime soon. Reef for fishies, surfers, and scuba divers? Win, win, win.

What about building more massive jetties like the one at Newport Beach? Would that do anything to protect the coast? How about massive sea walls? There just has to be a better alternative to pumping sand on the beach that will get washed back into the ocean next big storm. It just seems like a vicious cycle that will cost us legitimately BILLIONS of dollars. They just dredged my beaches probably three years ago maybe four, and they're already loading up to do it again. Why not just have hoses constantly spraying new sand on the beach at all times?

In the end, it is our own fault for building on barrier islands, but at this point, what would be a better alternative to dredging? Should we just let nature run its course? Let the sea take our beach communities down dave jones locker?

You ask lots of questions. Massive jettys and massive seawalls are proven to be not only very expensive with lots of maintenance costs on top of installation, but only a temporary fix. Any unarmored stretch of beach on the downward drift will be robbed of the natural flow of sand and have the same erosion problems exponentially increased. Constant pumping will be very expensive and will cause water quality degradation.

A better alternative is dune restoration, which gives the sand dunes the vegetation to hold the sand in place. The big question is should we let nature take its course? In light of sea level rise, and increasing storm surges, strategic retreat seems to be the only alternative. If the money and technology exists to raise the elevation and re nourish the dunes in certain beach communities, the free market will allow it. If not, then they have to start moving back, slowly but surely, as the inevitable progress of the sea continues. Mother nature bats last.

If I was Mad Atom, I would feel differently since my sand pumping and dredging business/racket would suffer.

You ask lots of questions. Massive jettys and massive seawalls are proven to be not only very expensive with lots of maintenance costs on top of installation, but only a temporary fix. Any unarmored stretch of beach on the downward drift will be robbed of the natural flow of sand and have the same erosion problems exponentially increased. Constant pumping will be very expensive and will cause water quality degradation.

A better alternative is dune restoration, which gives the sand dunes the vegetation to hold the sand in place. The big question is should we let nature take its course? In light of sea level rise, and increasing storm surges, strategic retreat seems to be the only alternative. If the money and technology exists to raise the elevation and re nourish the dunes in certain beach communities, the free market will allow it. If not, then they have to start moving back, slowly but surely, as the inevitable progress of the sea continues. Mother nature bats last.

If I was Mad Atom, I would feel differently since my sand pumping and dredging business/racket would suffer.

Sorry, I am filled with questions just because this whole process just seems absurd. There HAS to be a better solution. I was just joking on the constant pumping of the sand. I was imagining like large water fountains constantly spewing sand onto beach patrons.

But when you're talking about the dune replenishment, why aren't they doing that now? I get that the dunes need the vegetation for the stability and strength of the dunes, so why aren't we doing it? I can't remember exactly, but I feel like some beach communities were putting old cars into the dunes to add some volume? Why don't they continue to build the dunes up instead of out?